Electric



(No Model.)

'-'L.A.GRAY. ELECTRIC APPLIANCE FOR HORSES.

No. 576,053; Patented Jan. 26', 1897;

- ammo/M07, Q

LQ B Y w,

THE mam: PETERS m. PNOTOLITHO, WASHVNGYON, n. q.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

-LOVRY A. GRAY, OF ARLINGTON, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWARD LIPPS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

ELECTRIC APPLIANCE FOR HORSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,053, dated January 26, 1897. Application filed October 29,1896. Serial No. 610,455. (No modelJ To all whom it may concern: My invention alsocomprises other novel Be it known that I, LOWRY A. GRAY, a citifeatures, all of which Will be fully described zen ofthe United States, residing at Arlinghereinafter and then more particularly ton, in the county of Baltimore and State of pointed out and defined in the claims which 5 Maryland, have invented new and useful Imconclude this specification.

provements in Devices for Preventing Self- For the purposes of the following descrip- Abuse by Stallions, of which the following is tion reference will be had to the accompanya specification. ing drawings, in which My invention relates to devices for prevent- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a horse hav- 1o ing self-abuse by stallions, my object being ingmy invention attached to the body. Fig. to provide an extremely simple and compara- 2 is a view showing part of the surcingle tively economical apparatus whereby this upon which a primary battery or suitable injurious habit, which is common with all source of electrical energy is shown with an horses, may be effectually and easily preinduction-coil and circuit-closer, this figure T 5 vented without any injury to the animal, also showing a diagram of the circuits.

without requiring attention upon the part of The reference-numeral 1 in said drawings the person who cares for the horse, and free indicates a surcingle-girth or some similar from liability to get out of order. means of attachment surrounding the body It is my purpose also to provide a device of the horse. Upon this girth Imount a bat- 20 for the purpose specified in which electricity tery, or preferably two cells 2 2, of any suitshall be the eifective agent and to so organable type, a dry battery being Well suited for ize the same that the circuit of the secondary the purpose. Between the two batteries 2 2 coil of an induction-coil shall be completed is arranged an induction-coil 3, located at the through some portion of the body of the center of the back where it will not be antob- 25 horse, including the organ of generation, stacle to the horse lying down, or be injured whereby, upon erection, a continuous current by his assuming such a position. The priwill pass in contradistinction ,to theproducmary of the induction-coil is connected to the tion of a single shock or discharge, or a numopposite poles of the generator or generators ber thereof, such, for example, as may be of electricity, the connections being made 30 produced by a spark-coil. Such an applicathrough binding-posts 4 and 5 upon the intion of the electric current is liable to injure sulating base-plate 6 of the induction-coil. an animal, besides being extremely startling The secondary helix of the induction-coil and having a bad effect upon the nervous has one terminal connected by a wire 7 to a system, especially in the case of young, binding-post 8 on the base-plate 6 of the in- 3 5 blooded, and sensitive horses. duction-coil. From the post 8 a wire 9 goes It is a further purpose of my invention to to the bridle-bit 10, or to any other metallic provide an electrical apparatus of the charpart which is in constant contact with. the acter specified which shall normally remain body of the horse. upon an open circuit, whereby the generator The second terminal of the secondary is 99 40 will be prevented from waste by a continuconnected by a wire 12 to a binding-post 13, ous discharge. In this connection my invenand thence by a wire 14 to a circuit-closer 15. tion includes the provision of a novel and The latter consists of a thin plate of copper or simple form of automatic switch whereby other conducting metal mounted upon nonthe generator-circuit will be opened when the conducting headed studs 24 at the ends of a 45 horse lies down and closed again upon his risstrap 15, and insulating-washers 25, of some ing, and means whereby the act of the horse non-conducting material, are interposed bewill close the electric circuit through the ortween the ends of the circuit-closer and the gan of generation and a portion of the body, strap, the object being to prevent such conwhich includes the secondary helix of the intact between the circuit-closer and the abdo- I00 50 duction-coil, said circuit being automatically men as to complete the secondary circuit.

opened when the current has done its work. The primary or battery circuit consists of a wire 20, from one element of battery 2 to the binding-post 4:, to which one terminal of the primary helix is connected. The other terminal of the latter is connected by a Wire 19 to an elem ent of battery 2 and from the other element a wire 18 goes to a terminal of an automatic switch 17, located on the base-plate 6. From the other switch-terminal a wire 16 is taken to the second element of battery 2.

The switch 17 consists of a cylindrical receiver of non-conducting material, such as glass or hard rubber, the switch-terminals entering the ends of said receiver. Mercury '23 or any other suitable movable conducting material is placed in the receiver, and as the latter will be horizontal, or nearly so, when the horse is standing the mercury or movable conducting material will be in contact with both the switch-terminals and the battery-circuit will be closed. Then the horse lies down, however, the receiver will be inclined and the mercury running to the lower end will be removed from contact with one of the switch-terminals only, so that the circuit will be broken and will remain open as long as the recumbent position is maintained.

The operation of the device is as follows: WVhen the horse projects the organ of generation from its sheath, if excited it must come in contact with the circuit-closer 15, and as the secondary circuit is thereby closed current will flow from one terminal of the secondary helix to the circuit-closer, through the generative organ and body to the bit, or other point of contact of a piece of metal connected to the-wire 9. The circuit is completed over this wire back to the other terminal of the secondary helix. This current is continuous and can be regulated to any required strength. It is needless to say that after the completion of the circuit the horse will turn his attention to other subjects. On the other hand, no obstacle is presented to the discharge of any natural function. If the animal discharges the bladder, no completion of the circuit will take place, as this act is not accompanied by any erection. If he lies down, the circuitcloser 10 may make contact with any part of the body without completion of the secondary circuit, as the inclination of the receiver 8 will break the primary or battery circuit and maintain it in this condition until the horse is again upon his feet.

I prefer to secure the batteries in pockets upon the girth 1, but they may be attached in any other suitable or preferred manner. I may also locate them elsewhere, and the circuit-closer may be secured to the body of the animal in any preferred manner.

lVhat I claim is 1. An apparatus of the character specified consisting of a girth having a source of electric energy and an induction-coil, a circuitcloser adapted to maintain an open circuit and to be secured upon the abdomen of the horse, a primary circuit, and a secondary-circuit including the circuit-closer, a metal in electrical contact with the horse and the intervening portion of the body, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus of the character specified, comprising a source of electric energy, a circuit-closer adapted to lie against and be insulated from the abdomen of the horse, and an automatic switch consisting of a non-conducting receiver containing a suitable movable conducting material, the switch-terminals being within the receiver in such position as to be both in contact with the conducting material when the horse stands and to have but one terminal in contact when the horse is lying down, substantially as described.

3. An apparatus of the character specified, consisting of a source of electric energy and an induction-coil adapted to be secured upon the body of a horse, a circuit-closer forming part of the secondary circuit of the inductioncoil and adapted to lie against and be insulated from the abdomen, an automatic switch arranged upon the base-plate of the induction-coil and consisting of a non-conducting receiver having terminals of the primary circuit entering the ends of said receiver, and a secondary circuit including the circuitcloser, a metal in electrical contact with the body, such as the bit, and the intervening portion of the body, substantially as described.

4. An apparatus of the character specified, consisting of an induction-coil secured to a girth so as to rest directly over the horses back, two dry batteries one upon each side of the induction-coil and connected in the primary circuit, a circuit-closer consisting of a conducting-strip carried by and insulated from a strap adapted to be fastened to the abdomen, an automatic switch consisting of a cylindrical receiver on the baseplate of the induction-coil and having terminals of the battery-wires entering its ends, the receiver containing a body of mercury to make contact with both terminals when the horse stands and with but one when lying down, and a secondary circuit including the circuit-closer, the bridle-bit and the intervening part of the body, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOW'RY A. GRAY.

\Vitn esses J AMES L. NORRIS, THoMAs A. GREEN. 

